THE EIGHTEENTH ANGEL
US, 1997, 84 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Mc Donald, Rachel Leigh Cook, Stanley Tucci, Wendy Crewson, Maximilian Schell.
Directed by William Bindley.
The Eighteenth Angel was written by David Seltzer, writer of The Omen. This screenplay is quite reminiscent of The Omen (made twenty years earlier than this film) but it is only an echo, a slight use of the basic plot outline.
Maximilian Schell seems to be enjoying himself as an intensely mad friar who wants to bring the reign of Satan to the world which, according to the Etruscan Book of the Dead, can only happen when eighteen young people are sacrificed and the eighteenth becomes the incarnation of Satan. It is surprising how popular this kind of allegedly biblical hokum has been popular in films since the 1960s.
Christopher Mc Donald is earnest as the father of the intended victim, played by Rachel Leigh Cook, who was to go on to a successful career with She's All That, Josie and the Pussycats and several other films. Stanley Tucci has a small role as McDonald's friend.
The film moves from Boston with an eerie suicide to Rome and the atmosphere of the Catholic Church and the Middle Ages. There are many rituals invoking the Devil which, in any other circumstance, might be laughable. However, the ending is, as expected, as the Devil finally wins.
1. The popularity of this kind of biblical-based horror story? The reign of Satan, the incarnation of Satan? The influence of the particular films in this genre like Rosemary's Baby and the writer's film, The Omen?
2. The Boston settings giving an air of authenticity? The Italian settings and the exotic, the village, the house, the fields, the monastery? The contrast with the seemingly ordinary world of modelling? The hospitals and their both good and sinister atmospheres? The musical score?
3. The mythology at the base of the film, the alleged Etruscan Book of the Dead, the coming of Satan's reign, the eighteen angels? The background information of the film, the clock and the death of its maker - and the eighteen indications for the coming of the angels? The rituals for the coming of Satan, the sacrifice of the children, their being put in a circle, the masks etc?
4. The focus on the family, Hugh Stanton and his work as a lecturer, music? His wife, the interviews, her intrigue by the Etruscan studies, her being mesmerised into suicide? Lucy (and the significance of her name for Lucifer)? Adolescent, her meeting Father Simeon, her returning home, the party for her father, the news of the death of her mother, her adolescent outbursts against her father? The offer to go to Italy for the modelling and her determination?
5. The voyage to Italy, settling in the house, the housekeeper and her secret about her son? The mystery of the monastery? Father Simeon and his pretence not to know English? The people involved in the modelling, the face mask for Lucy, her work? The taking of the cat through the Customs, the cat in the house, its being possessed, its running away, the search, Hugh going to the monastery? The housekeeper and all the cats attacking her?
6. The friends helping Hugh, the background of the scientist and his disappearance, his working in the monastery, creating life? Creating life as the sign for the coming of Satan when humans had the power of bringing life into the world?
7. Father Simeon, his control over the monks, over Benedetti? The young man with the horses?
8. The build-up to the climax, Lucy and her going with the young man and the horses, her becoming entangled, almost strangled, her being taken to the hospital? Her father coming, wanting her removed, ringing Todd in New York? Her disappearance? His going to the monastery, the confrontation? The rescuing of his daughter?
9. The transformation of Lucy into Satan, her seemingly being herself, the final glimpse of her eyes?
10. The supporting characters, the wife, Todd and his friendship, his medical advice? The professor in Italy helping him and his finally being impaled? The housekeeper, her son, the cemetery, her death with the cats? The monks and Hugh searching for his cat, their help?
11. The credibility of this kind of story, perennial audience interest in this mysterious but hokum-like story of the supernatural, the reign of Satan?
